How can you build a solid social media marketing strategy

How can you build a solid social media marketing strategy

Everyone knows that social media is one of the most powerful tools in modern marketing, but few get it right. Companies, like ordinary people, are obsessed with gaining more followers and likes. While everyone wants to get more followers on Instagram, only a few do what it takes to create a loyal fan base. While everyone wants more likes on Facebook or more retweets, not everyone has a clear social media marketing strategy. How exactly do you gain more followers? Better still, why do you want more followers in the first place? This is the question that every business owner must ask. You don’t want vanity metrics; you want metrics that matter, numbers that translate into more engagement, increased sales and improved brand identity.

Have you ever wondered why some companies come up with brilliant social marketing campaigns, while others struggle to find that creative spark? It all comes down to one thing: research (or lack thereof). Making random assumptions isn’t probably the best strategy; it’s not a strategy at all. What you need is a careful, thorough analysis of your target audience, your competitors, your industry and other factors that might play a role in your overall success. You just don’t become an overnight success; you train for it, for years on end. So, you want to build a successful social media marketing strategy but don’t know how. You have tried every trick in the book (or so you claim), and you aren’t getting the results you thought you would. You get discouraged. You just want to give up. I know the feeling. We’ve all been there. Fortunately, to every  plight there’s a cure. Below are some very useful tips you can use to build a strong social media marketing strategy.

Create engaging content

You’ve probably heard this millions of times, but it needs to be said again and again. Creating high quality content on a regular basis is one of the best ways of attracting the right audience. And it is not just about creating original relevant content; it is also about sharing it, multiple of times. A lot of companies produce content on a regular basis, but only a few engage with every person who comments on their posts. It might seem like the easiest job in the world, but it is amazing how many companies ‘forget’ this simple task. What your audience really craves is genuine and spontaneous interaction. Instead of trying to create content that has a higher likelihood of going viral, produce content that is useful to your audience. Responds as quickly as you can to comments, and don’t resort to copying and pasting responses; that would make you look like you don’t care about your audience. You can learn even from negative comments. Be courteous in your responses, but don’t throw your own company under the bus for a comment’s sake.

Encourage user-generated content

In an age where everyone likes to feel important, encouraging user-generated content is one of the best ways of making ordinary people feel appreciated. For example, from time to time  you might repost fans’ post on your company’s Instagram account. It costs nothing to repost, but it brings so much value to your business. You can do the same thing on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms. Just think how much it means to a fan to have his/her post shared by their favorite brand. If you really care about your audience, it will show.

Tweak your social media marketing strategy 

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to social media marketing long-term planning. If a particular tactic isn’t working anymore, you simply switch to another one. For instance, if your fans aren’t engaging with your Facebook posts anymore, you might want to have a look at the design or the content of the post. To gauge your social media marketing’s strategy success, you need actual data. The market is awash with tools which help you make sense out of raw data. However, you ought to do your own research.

Social media is more than just likes, followers and shares; it’s about building meaningful relationships. Listen closely to what people have to say. Be patient and authentic. Remember: social media marketing planning is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time to build long-term relationships with your existent and potential customers, but it’s worth it.


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